Disc drives communicate with host computers using various standardized interfaces. In some interfaces, devices in a system share a common pathway for delivering messages throughout the system. Since the devices share a common pathway, each device must have a unique address in order for messages to be sent to the proper device. When a system is powered on or a device is plugged into or removed from a system configuration during operation, a process is needed to make other devices in the system aware of the current system configuration. Embodiments of the present invention address these and other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.